Everyone knows that on Hanukkah , the first night the menorah has one candle, then two the next day and so on until there are 8 Hanukkah candles for the last night. This is true, but in the early days of the holiday, there was an initial disagreement about how this should look.
The Talmud, espoecially mesechet Shabbat goes into depth about how one should light a Hanukkah menorah, including the materials, the height and spacing, the amount of menorahs per household and so on.
The debate between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai on the order of lighting Hanukkah candles is a fascinating one, reflecting deeper philosophical differences in their approach to Jewish law and tradition. This debate centers on whether the candles should be lit incrementally from one to eight, as Beit Hillel argues, or in descending order from eight to one, as Beit Shammai advocates. The discussion not only touches on ritual practice but also on the themes behind the meaning of the holiday.
The Debate: Beit Hillel vs. Beit Shammai
The Talmud in Shabbat 21b records the dispute:
Beit Shammai holds that on the first night, all eight candles should be lit, decreasing by one each subsequent night until only one candle remains on the last night. This method reflects Beit Shammai’s principle of diminishing quantity, symbolizing how the miracle’s oil supply was initially abundant and gradually dwindled. Another perspective is that this descending order follows the approach used in the sacrificial offerings during the festival of Sukkot, where the number of offerings also decreased each day.
Beit Hillel, by contrast, proposes starting with one candle on the first night and adding a candle each night until eight candles are lit on the last night. Their reasoning is based on the concept of “ma’alin bakodesh,” the principle that holiness should always increase rather than decrease. In this view, each successive night of Hanukkah brings an additional light, symbolizing an increase in joy and the publicization of the miracle.
Ultimately, outside of a very small number of cases,I in matters of dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shamai, we side with Beit Hillel in practical observance, as we do here.
Interpretations from the Ba’alei Tosafot
The Tosafot, medieval Talmudic commentators and the grandsons of Rashi, offer various interpretations to support Beit Hillel’s position, though they also provide a rationale for Beit Shammai’s view. Tosafot notes that the act of adding a candle each night can signify an ongoing appreciation of the miracle. As each night passes, the miracle of the oil burning longer than expected becomes increasingly significant. According to the Tosafot, Beit Hillel’s approach reflects an enduring sense of gratitude and recognition of the miracle, making it more aligned with the values of commemorating and increasing the awareness of God’s wonders.
In the Hanukkah story, we see that they considered the rededication of the Temple similar to the holiday of Sukkot, where 70 bulls were offered up over the course of a week, but the daily number decreased steadily. This was offered as another reason for potentially counting down instead of up.
In another Tosafot, it is suggested that Beit Shammai’s position is valid in its own right, as it highlights the concept of diminishing resources. However, the Tosafot ultimately side with the decision that has become mainstream in Jewish law — Beit Hillel’s ascending order, which is more uplifting and publicizes the miracle in a way that grows stronger each night.
Other Commentators on the Dispute
Various other commentators, including the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch, discuss this debate and ultimately codify the practice in line with Beit Hillel. The Rambam points out that Beit Hillel’s perspective has the added benefit of enhancing the mitzvah in a way that involves all of the household, who can participate in the excitement of adding light each night. The Shulchan Aruch, written by Rabbi Yosef Karo, notes that this method brings a sense of increasing holiness and honor to the mitzvah.
The Maharal of Prague, a later commentator, expands on the significance of the growing light. He explains that adding light each night symbolizes an increase in spiritual insight, as light metaphorically represents wisdom and divine guidance. According to the Maharal, Beit Hillel’s position encourages us to seek more knowledge and more connection with the divine as the holiday progresses.
Looking to the Future
In matters of dispute between Beit Hillel and Beit Shamai, we side with Beit Hillel in practical observance, as we do here, but it is said that in the era of Moshiach, this will flip and that Beit Shamai’s approach is what we will take. For the time being, we need to focus as a nation on increasing our joy, hope and gratitude to God, but that in the future, like we do on Sukkot, we will be tasked with briging light to the rest of the nations of the world, with the candles symbolizing them instead. While we do not accept these ideas at present, they can still be looked to as an aspiration.
Ultimately, the accepted practice of following Beit Hillel’s opinion gives us a ritual that not only honors the miracle of the Hanukkah oil but also serves as a daily reminder to elevate ourselves spiritually. Each night, the growing number of lights conveys a message of resilience, faith, and hope, mirroring the journey of the Jewish people through history. The approach emphasizes that every day brings an opportunity to add holiness and light, symbolizing the power of small but continuous acts of devotion and celebration.
In this way, the practice reflects a theme that runs through much of Jewish tradition: that holiness is something that can and should be increased, an idea that resonates not only with those who light the menorah but with all who witness its lights shining in the darkness.
